Mercruiser 188 with a 888 outdrive

[nmiles]

Does anybody know how difficult it is to swap out a 888 for an alpha 1 or 2? I really just need to replace the lower unit housing and don't know what the tecnical issues are with compatability? I have a alpha 1 that I can swap out but don't know if it will bolt into place or if I will have to redo everything from the bell housing aft?
Also how worth it would it be to upgrade to a bravo and what all would go into such a swap?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser 188 with a 888 outdrive

Does anybody know how difficult it is to swap out a 888 for an alpha 1 or 2? I really just need to replace the lower unit housing and don't know what the tecnical issues are with compatability? I have a alpha 1 that I can swap out but don't know if it will bolt into place or if I will have to redo everything from the bell housing aft?
Also how worth it would it be to upgrade to a bravo and what all would go into such a swap?

Ayuh,.... Outdrive fer Outdrive, an Alpha 1 will swap, no sweat...
Gen.IIs, No...
bravos, No,...

 

[achris]

Re: Mercruiser 188 with a 888 outdrive

The 'sterndrive' (drive for short) consists of basically 2 units, the upper (Drive shaft housing) and the lower (Gear housing). All uppers and lowers from about 1967 to 1991 (includes MC-1, R, MR and Alpha One (Gen I) drives) are interchangeable. The internals are NOT, just the complete units. You can have a MC-1 upper and a MR lower, for example. Your drive is an MC-1. The '888' is the model of the whole power plant, 188hp, V8, hence '888'. Much like the 3.7 litre engines were called '470', 4 cyl, 170hp....

You will also here the term 'Pre-Alpha'. There is no such animal as a 'pre-Alpha' drives. These misinformed fools are making a blanket reference to anything before 1986 (year of the proper 'Alpha One').

A Bravo drive will not fit up to your transom assembly, you would need a whole new transom assembly and then the rear engine mounts would no longer line up with their mounting points on the inner transom plate, so you would need a new flywheel housing, which they never made for the Ford engines. Same story with the Alpha One (Gen II), produced from 1991 on....

Hope this helps.....

Chris..........

 

[nmiles]

Re: Mercruiser 188 with a 888 outdrive

Wow you guys rock thank you for the info I am new to inboards and out drives and am thankfull for all the info! Now that we are on the subject is there an easy way to tell if you have an alpha 1 vs all the others IE a tell tail The out drive I have was given to me by someone that knows it works but is not very savy on the outdrives either. Worst case I sell it to buy a knewly remanufactured one!!

 

[achris]

Re: Mercruiser 188 with a 888 outdrive

The serial number will identify the upper, but if someone have swapped the lower it's difficult to tell. Your looking for either a 7 digit number or '0' followed by a letter followed by 6 digits. If the decal has gone, then on the port side of the drive shaft housing, where the decal should be, you'll find the serial number stamped in. Sometimes the shape of the casting at the back of the drive can give a clue to whether the lower is original, but not always....

Chris......